Safety apparatus for a gun triggering mechanism

ABSTRACT

A safety device for preventing unintentional firing of a gun comprising an easily-rotatable mass part mounted on the gun and having a stop which is in alignment with a recess in the triggering mechanism when the mass part is at rest, thus permitting movement of the triggering mechanism to fire the gun. When the gun is subjected to a force great enough to cause an unintentional firing, the mass part will be rotated by the force to a non-rest position wherein the stop is unaligned with the recess and prevents movement of the trigger mechanism for firing the gun. When the force diminishes, the mass part returns to its rest position to permit the gun to be fired.

SAFETY APPARATUS FOR A GUN TRIGGERING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a triggering arrangement with a safety device for the thrusts imposed on hunting and sporting guns.

Triggering arrangements in various designs, such as a shot gun trigger (without preliminary path, i.e. a take-up" or stretch on the pull prior to arriving at a point of resistance), a pressure point triggering device (with preliminary path), or a hair trigger device (preliminary cocking of the trigger for the purpose of an easier release) are made in the most varied designs. The gunner requires of his triggering device that the release of the shot be possible with the least possible resistance, so that through operation of the trigger the firearm will not be pulled out of its position, aligned with the target. On the other hand, the firearms manufacturer would like to make the triggering device as hard as possible, that is, he would like to adjust it to operate as hard as possible for reasons of safety, in order to prevent an unintentional triggering when the safety catch has been released, for example, as a result of a thrust or impact. Therefore, in the case of the customary triggering arrangements, one must be prepared to compromise in that neither the one nor the other requirement can be completely fulfilled.

The attempt has been made to prevent the unintentional delivery ofa shot, in the case of easily pulled triggers, through the fact that the individual elements distributed around the pivotal point of the trigger are formed of a mass and positioned in relation to the pivotal point in such a way that they will be statically in an equilibrium. However, such an arrangement and development of the triggering arrangement can have the intended effect only when an impact or a thrust on the firearm is directed through the center of the mass of the firearm. Otherwise, the thrust will produce a torque on the firearm and thus a revolving movement of the entire firearm around its center of mass. The revolving movement of the firearm, on the other hand, is not transferred without difficulty to the easily rotatably mounted trigger, for the latter, on the basis of its own mass movement of inertia, will strive to remain in its original position. In the case of a properly directed torque, however, a shot can nevertheless be released unintentionally.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is the object of this invention to create a triggering arrangement with a safety which will prevent the delivery of a shot resulting from an impact-created torque acting on the firearm, including an impact passing through the center of mass of the firearm. Thus, the object of the invention is to create a triggering arrangement of the above-mentioned type utilizing the forces and torques occurring from an impact or thrust to cause a safety arrangement to lock the triggering arrangement with respect to the firing pin.

It is an additional object of the invention to create such a safety which can be conveniently employed in presently-used trigger mechanisms.

It is yet a further object of the invention to create a safety which will not prevent the trigger from firing due to sudden turning of the gunner.

It is a further object of the invention to create a safety which can be employed to prevent trigger firing in all circumstances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION In accordance with the invention, this problem is solved by the provision of a mass part which is easily rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass (eccentric mounting) and held by spring elements in a definite rest position. The mass part is formed with a stop which, in the rest position, faces a recess in an element that releases, directly or indirectly, the cocked firing pin through a deflecting movement in the direction of the stop. In every position outside the rest position, however, the stop blocks such deflection. The stop of the mass part thus enters unimpeded into the recess in the case of a normal release of the shot, and therefore does not impede the movement of the triggering arrangement which transmits the movement of the releasing finger to the trigger sear. On the other hand, any kind of thrust or impact on the firearm which would possibly cause a release of the triggering arrangement will deflect the stop from its rest position in such a way that the transfer mechanism of the triggering arrangement is blocked against any movement. For this purpose the stop and recess are arranged such that even a very slight pivoting of the part of the mass will be sufficient to deflect the stop. When the effect of the thrust or impact is over, the mass part will be returned to the rest position by its spring elements so that a shot can be delivered without difficulty. Through a suitable dimensioning of the mass and of the spring forces, it can be assured that a quick pivoting movement of the firearm, which may be carried out intentionally by the gunner, for example, at a moment of great danger, will not cause a locking of the trigger, providing the pivoting forces are not so great as would tend to cause an unintentional release of a shot.

In the case of a preferred embodiment by way of example, the recess may be an opening in a link of a toggle lever arrangement supporting the trigger sear. The lever arrangement is deflected by the trigger counter to the force of a return spring in the direction of an extension of the mass part forming the support. Naturally, other arrangements for the realization of the above mentioned basic principles are also possible.

Advantageously, the intentional safety of the firearm can be provided by a safety cross bar mounted rotatably in the housing of the triggering arrangement, which cross bar, in its safety position, has a first supporting surface sitting below the trigger sear in the cocked position, and second supporting surface opposite the first one which forces the part of the mass from its rest position. This means a double safety, for in the first place the trigger lock is held by the first supporting surface of the cross bar, and, secondly, the transmitting lever mechanism cannot be moved from the position supporting the trigger sear because of the locking effect of the stop.

It is furthermore possible, as a result of the slight complementation, to provide the trigger for a so-called hair trigger, in which the trigger, mounted on its pivot bolt by a slot which permits a forward shifting of the trigger, engages an additional spring. The spring, in the normal position of the trigger, is at rest and is cocked only in the case of rear set triggering. There is a stop extension on the trigger which, upon pressure on the reverse side of the trigger lever, will slide underneath a fixed stop. If the fixed stop has a supporting surface for the stop extension which can be adjusted in its angular direction, then it will be possible by this means to adjust the sensitivity of the rear set trigger according to desire.

DRAWINGS The invention is now to be explained in more detail in connection with a drawing and based on two embodiments by way of example.

FIG. 1 shows a perpendicular section through a triggering arrangement according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows the same illustration for such a triggering arrangement with a rear set trigger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Between two parallel housing plates, of which only the rear plate is shown, a trigger 12 and a trigger lever 13 are pivotally mounted on a bolt 11 connected between the housing plates. A screw 15, loaded by a spring 14, is fixedly attached, in the customary manner, on the housing plate 10, which screw is adjustable to determine the hardness of the trigger pull. It is also possible to adjust, with a further adjusting screw 16, the trigger stop, the so-called trigger thrust, in relation to a fixed stop 17. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the screw 16 is in its fully extended position; in retracted position, it will permit trigger movement. Additionally, the forward movement of the trigger is controlled by a stop 16' which is mounted between the housing plates.

The trigger 12 has an adjusting screw 18 with which the trigger acts upon a toggle lever mechanism 19, 20, which is connected with the trigger sear 21. This toggle lever mechanism consists of a first link 19 mounted at one end on a pivot pin 22 connected to the housing plates, and a second lever 20 connected to the first lever 19 by a pivot bolt 23. The other end of the link 20 of the toggle lever is connected to the trigger sear 21 by a pivot bolt 24. By way of an adjustable screw 25 in the trigger sear, the bending movement of the arrangement 19, 20 of the toggle lever is limited to the extent that it cannot be bent through in one direction beyond the inline position.

A projecting arm 26 is located on the first link 19 of the toggle lever transmission mechanism, on which arm the adjusting screw 18 of the trigger, upon pivoting, acts in such a way that the toggle lever mechanism is bent. Consequently, the trigger sear, pivotally mounted at one end on a fixed pin or bolt 27, will drop down into the triggering arrangement and will release the cocked firing pin 27'. Against the pivoting movement of the toggle lever mechanism caused by the trigger, the mechanism is biased by a spring 28 into its in-line position so that it will bear against the adjusting screw 25 in the trigger sear 21.

As has beendescribed to this point, the triggering arrangement is of a known construction where, in the case of a thrust or impact on the firearm, especially which causes a torque on the firearm, a shot can be delivered unintentionally when the firing pin is cocked. In order to prevent this, mass part is mounted on a fixed bolt 29 for very easy rotating action and mounted strongly eccentrically with respect to axis 29. Mass part 30 is held by a spring 31 in a certain rest position in which an arm or stop 32, of the mass part in front of the link 19 of the toggle lever, faces a recess 33 in the link 19 of the toggle lever. This recess has been dimensioned in such a way that the arm 32 can just enter into it whenever the mass part is in its rest position, but a slight deflection of the mass part out of this rest position will cause the arm to strike against the limiting edges of the recess, thus preventing the possibility of bending the toggle lever mechanism. As a result, it will also be made impossible for the trigger sear 21 to release the firing pin.

When the torque no longer acts on the mass part, then it will be possible to deliver the shot intentionally via the trigger lever 13, since spring 31 will return the part of the mass to its rest position. The mass, moment of gyration, and spring force of this safety installation 30, 31 must be dimensioned in such a way that a pivoting of the firearm brought about by the gunner himself, for example, at a moment of great danger, will not prevent operation of the trigger mechanism, but impacts and thrusts on the firearm will bring the safety installation into action.

The cooperation of arm 32 and recess 33 may also be replaced by equivalent means, such as stops on link 19 and mass part 36 which pass each other in the normal position, but then oppose each other in the case of the occurrence of a thrust which moves mass part 30. Also, the location of the recess 33 and the stop 32 can be reversed from that shown in FIG. 1 whereby a stop on link 19 would be aligned with a recess in mass part 30 when the latter is at rest.

To prevent trigger firing from any thrust or impact, one can provide a safety in a simple and very effective manner. Such safety could comprise a cross bar 34 that can be rotatably operated from the outside via a lever cross bar, which cross bar, at its ends, has two engaging or supporting surfaces 35 and 36, which advantageously, but not necessarily, are located on the same circular arc to make the safety independent of the rotational direction of the outside lever. The circular arc containing the supporting surfaces 35, 36 is placed in such a way that it is just tangent with a bottom-sided surface of the trigger sear 21 whenever the toggle lever mechanism is in its in-line position, while a top-sided surface of a mass part intersects the circular arc in a secant. If this lever 34 is pivoted from a horizontal position of nonengagement (shown in FIG. 1) into a perpendicular or vertical position in which the first supporting surface 35 moves adjacently below trigger sear 21, then the second supporting surface 36 displaces the mass part 30 from its rest position counter to the force of the spring 31 and thus displaces the arm 32 from the corresponding position in front of the recess 33. The safety developing as a result of this is twofold, because, for one thing, the trigger sear 21 cannot be moved downwards due to supporting surface 35 and thus cannot release the firing pin. Additionally, the toggle lever mechanism, held in the in-line position by the arm 32, unaligned with the recess 33 of link 19, likewise blocks the trigger sear 21.

The triggering arrangement just described is also shown essentially in FIG. 2, so that the parts already described in FIG. 1 will not be mentioned and explained again. The embodiment according to FIG. 2,

given by way of example, contains on its trigger the extension 38, also shown in FIG. 1, and additionally, a spring support 39 near this extension with which a compression spring 41, mounted on a bolt 40 on the housing plate, is connected. This compression spring 41 is in a relieved position whenever trigger 37 assumes its normal position. Extension 38 is part of a hair trigger arrangement of a so-called rear set trigger which, when the trigger is pivoted clockwise about bolt 11 and slid forwardly by pressure on the reverse side of the trigger lever 42, causes a precocking of the trigger. Extension 38 during this pivoting and forward horizontal movement, made possible by the slit bearing 43 on the pivoting bolt 11, will move below a fixed supporting surface 44, which in the present example is the diagonal surface of a half wave or abutment 45 disposed rotatably in the housing plates. As a result of the rotatability of the half wave 45, the inclination of the supporting surface 44 can be changed and thus the releasing force of the rear set trigger can be set very delicately. By way of a screw 46 located in the forward front surface of trigger 37, one can furthermore limit in an adjustable manner and delicately the horizontal feed movement. Thus, by extending and retracting screw 46 with respect to fixed stop 47, the maximum forward trigger movement can be determined.

The advantages of the safety mechanism 3033, described in relation with FIGS. 1 and 2, are apparent. The safety can be used in conjunction with various presently-employed trigger mechanisms. Moreover, such a safety, by proper design, can be made to prevent firing caused by impacts on the firearm, while permitting firing despite sudden turning movements by the gunner. Additionally, the safety can be used to prevent firing in all circumstances by the addition ofa rotatable bar 34.

Modifications of the safety mechanism may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, as previously noted, the recess 33 may be positioned within mass part 30, with a stop or arm being provided on link 19. Alternately a plurality of stops could be mounted on the mass part and link which would be unaligned in the rest position, but aligned in the impacted position to prevent firing.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gun triggering device having a cockable firing pin, means including at least one movable element for releasing said firing pin, and safety means for preventing accidental release of said firing pin, the improvement wherein said safety means includes:

a mass part rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass;

said mass part being normally spring-biased to a rest position, but movable to a non-rest position; said mass part having a stop member which, when said mass part is in said rest position, is aligned with a recess formed in said movable element, thereby permitting movement of said element toward said stop member for releasing said firing said stop member, when said mass part is in a nonrest position, being unaligned with said recess, thereby preventing movement of said element toward said stop member for releasing said firing pin.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said releasing means includes:

a trigger sear;

a spring-biased toggle linkage connected to said trigger sear; said element constituting a link in said toggle linkage; and

a trigger engageable with said toggle linkage to deflect said toggle linkage against its spring bias, toward said stop member to cause said trigger sear to release said firing pin.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein:

a safety cross bar is rotatably mounted within a housing of said triggering device;

said cross bar having opposed first and second supporting surfaces;

said cross bar being rotatable to a safety position wherein said first supporting surface is positioned adjacently below said trigger scar, and said second surface engages said mass part to move said mass part to a non-rest position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said releasing means further includes:

a trigger having a slot formed therein;

a fixed pin positioned within said slot permitting forward shifting movement of said trigger with respect to said pin;

a spring connected to said trigger, which spring being at rest when said trigger is in its normal position, and being biased when said trigger is in a forwardly shifted position;

said trigger including an extension;

an abutment positioned adjacent said extension whereby, upon forward shifting of said trigger, said extension engages and is releasably held by said abutment.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein:

said abutment has a supporting surface for engaging said extension;

said abutment being adjustable to vary the inclination of said surface.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 further including:

an adjustably mounted screw for limiting the forward shifting movement of said trigger.

7. In a gun triggering device having a cockable firing pin:

a firing pin releasing means including:

a trigger sear;

a spring-biased toggle linkage connected to said trigger sear;

a trigger engageable with said toggel linkage to deflect the latter against its spring bias to cause said trigger sear to release said firing pin;

said trigger having a slot formed therein, said slot being pivotal and forwardly shiftable on a fixed pin positioned in said slot;

a spring connected to said trigger, said spring being at rest when said trigger is in its normal position, and being biased when said trigger is in a forwardly shifted position;

said trigger including an extension;

an abutment positioned adjacent said extension whereby, upon forward shifting of said trigger, said extension is engaged and releasably held by said abutment;

said abutment having a supporting surface for engaging said extension;

said abutment being adjustable to vary the inclination of said surface; and

an adjustably mounted screw for limiting the forward shifting movement of said trigger;

and a safety means for preventing accidental release of said firing pin including:

a mass part rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass;

said mass part being normally spring-biased to a rest position, but movable to a non-rest position;

said mass part having a stop member which, when said mass part is in its rest position, is aligned with a recess formed in a link of said toggle linkage for permitting said toggle linkage to deflect toward said stop under the influence of said trigger;

said stop member, when said mass part is in a nonrest position, being unaligned with said recess for preventing deflection of said toggle linkage to release said firing pin;

a safety cross bar having first and second supporting surfaces and being rotatable to a safety position wherein said first supporting surface is positioned adjacently below said trigger sear, and

wherein said second surface engages said mass part to move the latter to a non-rest position.

8. in a gun triggering device having a cockable firing pin, means including at least one movable element for releasing said firing pin, and safety means for preventing accidental release of said firing pin, the improvement wherein said safety means includes:

a mass part rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass but movable to a non-rest position; and

cooperative means on said mass part and movable element for permitting said movable element to release said firing pin when said mass part is in its rest position, and for preventing said movable element from releasing said firing pin when said mass part is in a non-rest position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said cooperating means includes:

a recess formed in one of said mass part and movable element; and

a stop member formed in the other of said mass part and movable element;

said stop element and recess being aligned when said mass part is in said rest position, and being disaligned when said mass part is in said non-rest position. 

1. In a gun triggering device having a cockable firing pin, means including at least one movable element for releasing said firing pin, and safety means for preventing accidental release of said firing pin, the improvement wherein said safety means includes: a mass part rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass; said mass part being normally spring-biased to a rest position, but movable to a non-rest position; said mass part having a stop member which, when said mass part is in said rest position, is aligned with a recess formed in said movable element, thereby permitting movement of said element toward said stop member for releasing said firing pin; said stop member, when said mass part is in a non-rest position, being unaligned with said recess, thereby preventing movement of said element toward said stop member for releasing said firing pin.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said releasing means includes: a trigger sear; a spring-biased toggle linkage connected to said trigger sear; said element constituting a link in said toggle linkage; and a trigger engageable with said toggle linkage to deflect said toggle linkage against its spring bias, toward said stop member to cause said trigger sear to release said firing pin.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: a safety cross bar is rotatably mounted within a housing of said triggering device; said cross bar having opposed first and second supporting surfaces; said cross bar being rotatable to a safety position wherein said first supporting surface is positioned adjacently below said trigger sear, and said second surface engages said mass part to move said mass part to a non-rest position.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said releasing means further includes: a trigger having a slot formed therein; a fixed pin positioned within said slot permitting forward shifting movement of said trigger with respect to said pin; a spring connected to said trigger, which spring being at rest when said trigger is in its normal position, and being biased when said trigger is in a forwardly shifted position; said trigger including an extension; an abutment positioned adjacent said extension whereby, upon forward shifting of said trigger, said extension engages and is releasably held by said abutment.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein: said abutment has a supporting surface for engaging said extension; said abutment being adjustable to vary the inclination of said surface.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 4 further including: an adjustably mounted screw for limiting the forward shifting movement of said trigger.
 7. In a gun triggering device having a cockable firing pin: a firing pin releasing means including: a trigger sear; a spring-biased toggle linkage connected to said trigger sear; a trigger engageable with said toggel linkage to deflect the latter against its spring bias to cause said trigger sear to release said firing pin; said trigger having a slot formed therein, said slot being pivotal and forwardly shiftable on a fixed pin positioned in said slot; a spring connected to said trigger, said spring being at rest when said trigger is in its normal position, and being biased when said trigger is in a forwardly shifted position; said trigger including an extension; an abutment positioned adjacent said extension whereby, upon forward shifting of said trigger, said extension is engaged and releasably held by said abutment; said abutment having a supporting surface for engaging said extension; said abutment being adjustable to vary the inclination of said surface; and an adjustably mounted screw for limiting the forward shifting movement of said trigger; and a safety means for preventing accidental release of said firing pin including: a mass part rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass; said mass part being normally spring-biased to a rest position, but movable to a non-rest position; said mass part having a stop member which, when said mass part is in its rest position, is aligned with a recess formed in a link of said toggle linkage for permitting said toggle linkage to deflect toward said stop under the influence of said trigger; said stop member, when said mass part is in a non-rest position, being unaligned with said recess for preventing deflection of said toggle linkage to release said firing pin; a safety cross bar having first and second supporting surfaces and being rotatable to a safety position wherein said first supporting surface is positioned adjacently below said trigger sear, and wherein said second surface engages said mass part to move the latter to a non-rest position.
 8. In a gun triggering device having a cockable firing pin, means including at least one movable element for releasing said firing pin, and safety means for preventing accidental release of said firing pin, the improvement wherein said safety means includes: a mass part rotatably mounted at a point spaced from its center of mass but movable to a non-rest position; and cooperative means on said mass part and movable element for permitting said movable element to release said firing pin when said mass part is in its rest position, and for preventing said movable element from releasing said firing pin when said mass part is in a non-rest position.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said cooperating means includes: a recess formed in one of said mass part and movable element; and a stop member formed in the other of said mass part and movable element; said stop element and recess being aligned when said mass part is in said rest position, and being disaligned when said mass part is in said non-rest position. 